MADE IN 1975 BY HIROSHI TAMURA & TOSHIHIKO TOKUGAWA CLASSICAL GUITAR ABE No.5

Country/Region of Manufacture: Japan

MADE IN 1975 BY HIROSHI TAMURA & TOSHIHIKO TOKUGAWA CLASSICAL GUITAR ABE No.5

Please read my 7 days return policy at the bottom of the page.

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If you are thinking about a purchase of a used vintage guitar you need to accept the fact that such guitars may have cosmetic flaws solely associated with their age, but not related to any particular damage. For example their finishes change their look over the years and are not glossy and crystal clear like on brand new guitar. In addition, such guitars may require fret dressing, new tuners, string action adjustment or a simple repair before they can be fully enjoyed. I see guitars as musical instruments, not as furniture. When I describe guitar as being in excellent condition I don't talk only about its cosmetics but mostly about its structural & functional condition, sound and playability. If you are seeking a perfect looking, low maintenance guitar you should abandon a thought about buying used vintage one, especially from me.    

I don't offer "sound samples" because they never reflect true sound of a guitar as we hear it playing in our own room. You can greatly change tonality of any guitar by using different strings.   

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Toshihiko Tokugawa & Hiroshi Tamura 1975 model No. 5

This guitar was made in 1975 in cooperation between Toshihiko Tokugawa (a great Japanese luthier, a long time Master Luthier at Zen-On factory) and Hiroshi Tamura (one of the best luthiers Japan ever had). Names of both luthiers are printed on the label (of course in Japanese). This coperation lasted until Hiroshi Tamura's death in 1985.

It was one of top models within the series of guitars indorsed by famous Japanese guitar player Yasuto Abe. While great majority of Abe guitars seem to be cheap and rather non-impressive in looks beginners guitars, this guitar is a total opposite.  It is very high grade concert guitar that by sound traits resembles guitars made by far better known member of Japanese Elite of Luthiers: Masaru Kohno, Hiroshi Tamura, Sumio Kurosawa, Kazuo Ichyanagi, Yakinobu Chai, Hideo Ida, Sakazo Nakade & sons, and others. At that time the very top Abe model No.6 had laminated figured Brazilian Rosewood b/s.  

This guitar was priced 50 000 yen in 1975 an amount equal to 65% of yearly salary of Japanese college graduate.

Real Value of Japanese Vintage Guitars

The key to understand value of vintage Japanese guitars is to acknowledge galloping devaluation of Japanese yen in 1960s & 1970s. This devaluation was somewhat slower in 1980s. The best measure of this devaluation is Starting Yearly Salary of Japanese College Graduate (SYSJCG).

SYSJCG in in 1965 was 19 600 yen, in 1969 – 34 600 yen, in 1970 39 200 yen, in 1972 – 62 300 yen, in 1975 79 200 yen, in 1977 121 200 yen and in 1980 - 163 000 yen.

During 1960s and most of 1970s model numbers of Japanese guitars were strictly interconnected with their prices in Japanese yen. In late 1970s and during following decades model numbers were no longer strictly associated with their prices. Many Japanese guitar makers introduced model names instead of model numbers. Others were still using model numbers with addition of letter abbreviations or other symbols.  

The best and only logical approach while evaluating real value (real grade) of vintage Japanese guitar is to compare its price in Japanese yen with SYSJCG during the year guitar was made.

Any guitar priced 100 000 in 1970 (labelled usually as No10) would be priced 200 000 yen in 1975 (relabeled to No20 or 2000), 300 000 yen in 1977 (labelled as No3, No30 or 3000). Starting in 1977 Masaru Kohno introduced his model No50 priced at 500 000 (skipping theoretical model 40). Soon other famous Japanese luthiers did the same. By 1983 Kohno started using model names instead numbers and was raising their prices as he was pleased. Naturally soon other Master luthiers did the same.

Knowing all of that, you can bet on that Masaru Kohno No50 made in 1982 is practically the same quality as Kohno No15 made in 1972, or Kohno no20 made in 1975 or Kohno No30 made in 1977. I know it for a fact.

The lowest grade models currently made by Matsuoka workshop are M75 and MH75. They are commonly considered as “beginner guitars”. Matsuoka model M30 made in 1973 is simply far, far better instrument. It is naturally better than model M50 made in 1977, model 80 made in 1982 or model M100 made in 1990. At present, the highest grade Matsuoka models are M300 and MH300. They absolutely stand no chance in competition with model M150 made in 1975… or model M200 made in 1977.

It is very important to mention that if modern era luthiers are using 40 years old woods to make a classical guitar, its price is at least $8000.

This guitar produces crystal clear and ringing trebles, very rich and resonating basses, all well balance with great sustain and at high volume. It is very responsive and offers really exceptional note separation, which is only matched by highest priced "all solid woods'  from my current selection. Briefly saying it is hard to find a better sounding guitar among those made with all solid woods, that I can price twice that much just for that (and no other) reason.

Very often “solid price” for “all solid woods” guitars is the only “higher quality” these guitars really offer.

Brand new Spanish made (naturally all solid) guitars that offer similar musical feasts are priced at $3000-$4000 level.

This guitar remains in overall excellent condition for its age. It does have about 3 super tiny marks on its top and some very fine signs of regular ware on its back, light finish imperfection on the back of the neck.  Nothing serious. At least for a player. It doesn't have any structural problems.

Specifications:

Top: High Grade Solid Spruce

Back & Sides: Latin America Rosewood Doubleplate

Calling this construction "laminates" would actually be very incorrect and quite misleading. This genuine Japanese invention has really nothing in common with modern era cheap particle-board laminates. This construction is nothing but 2 solid wood plates glued together, hence in fact nothing but reinforced solid woods. Such plates perform no different from solid woods, while don't crack as easily, are much easier to work with, and allow for much lower prices of these instruments. Such guitars have always been and still are a true blessing for all guitar enthusiasts with limited funds.

Neck: Mahogany

Fingerboard: Ebony

Scale: 650 mm

Nut width: 52 mm

The action is set to 3.5 mm under E6 and 3.00 mm under E1.

This guitar will be shipped in new hard polyfoam case. 

In order to ship a package with guitar to Australia at affordable rate +/- $150.00 (USPS International Priority Mail), length of such package can’t exceed 42” and its girth (2 x times width + 2 x height) + length can’t exceed total of 97”. If you want original or non-original hard shell case, the size of the package will qualify it only for USPS/Fedex Global Express Guaranteed  at $400.00 price.

Returns

If you are not happy with your purchase you may return the guitar for a refund of a purchase price of a guitar.  The cost of shipping both ways will not be refunded.

All you need to do is to:

1.    Notify me within 5 days after delivery   

2.    Pack guitar the same way I do it, using the same box and materials

3.    Ship it back to me within next 2 days

Another words I expect this “trail” period to occur within +/- 7 days. Naturally guitar has to be returned in the same condition as I ship it to you. This is simply honest offer for honest buyers. My goal is to make your purchase as risk free as possible. I know very well that spending $1000 of hard earned money is not emotionally easy undertaking for majority of guitar lovers. I am sure that reading my feedback can ease a bit your “purchase anxiety” but it still will be there no matter how hard I try.

Victor                                                              

P.s. If you'd like to check my other posted on E-bay guitars click on the links below:

http://youtu.be/W1FaCjodgZM

http://youtu.be/_3tJW9ljjdM

http://youtu.be/ExVwfhLy1gQ

http://youtu.be/XNdeSWxb2nU

http://youtu.be/mecVgriaKJ0

http://youtu.be/O9ErnhZhDxw

http://youtu.be/ceVTybPnq7c

http://youtu.be/Zyz8eZeTSRQ

http://youtu.be/T8bkPi4jhss

MADE IN 1975 BY HIROSHI TAMURA & TOSHIHIKO TOKUGAWA CLASSICAL GUITAR ABE No.5

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